This invention relates to a card edge connector, more particularly to a card edge connector that relies on a lug of a support arm to serve as a point of application of force to sever electrical connection between an electronic card and the card edge connector.
Initially, reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which show a conventional card edge connector 6. The card edge connector 6 is electrically connected to a circuit board (not shown) for insertion of an electronic card 7 therein, such that the electronic card 7 can establish electrical connection with the circuit board. The card edge connector 6 mainly includes an insulating housing 8 having a plurality of conductive terminals 84 mounted thereon, and a pair of support members 9. The insulating housing 8 has an elongated body 81. A front side of the body 81 is formed with an elongated insert groove 82 for insertion of a connecting end 71 of the electronic card 7 therein. Two lateral walls of the insert groove 82 of the insulating housing 8 along the longer side thereof are respectively provided with a plurality of terminal receiving slots (not shown) that extend through the insulating housing 8, and that respectively receive conductive terminals 84. Each conductive terminal 84 has a contact end disposed in the insert groove 82, and a soldering end projecting outwardly of the insulating housing 8 so as to establish electrical connection with the circuit board. When the connecting end 71 of the electronic card 7 is inserted into the insert groove 82, a plurality of contacts 72 on the connecting end 71 will establish electrical connection with the contact ends of the conductive terminals 84. Two sides of the electronic card 7 are each provided with a recess 73. Two ends of the side of the insulating housing 8 provided with the insert groove 82 extend integrally and forwardly in the same direction to form respective support arms 83. Each support arm 83 has a horizontal portion 831 disposed on the inner side, and a vertical portion 832 extending vertically from the horizontal portion 831 and disposed on the outer side. An elastic extension portion 833 extends horizontally and forwardly from the vertical portion 832. The two extension portions 833 have respective lugs 834 projecting from their respective inner sides toward each other within the range of length thereof. The lugs 834 are respectively received in the corresponding recesses 73 in left and right sides of the electronic card 7 so as to secure the electronic card 7 in the card edge connector 6. Electrical connection between the electronic card 7 and the card edge connector 6 can be cut off by pulling a free end portion (the portion which is denoted by the reference numeral 838 in the FIG. and which is hereinafter referred to as the force applying portion 838 for the sake of facilitating illustration) of the extension portion 833, thereby facilitating removal of the electronic card 7 from the card edge connector 6 by the user.
The pair of support members 9 are respectively mounted on the two support arms 83, and are each formed with a press-in portion 91 by punching a malleable metal sheet for insertion into the horizontal portion 831 of the respective support arm 83, a soldering portion 92 extending horizontally from the press-in portion 91, and a limiting portion 93 extending integrally to form a substantially C-shape so as to surround and limit deviation of the respective support arm 83. The limiting portion 93 has an enlarged head end 931 that can cover the surface of the respective lug 834.
The support members 9 are disposed to limit deviation of the support arms 83. The force applying portion 838 of each support arm 83 is the point of application of force to cause the lugs 834 of the two support arms 83 to displace in a direction away from each other so as to cause the lugs 834 to disengage from the corresponding recesses 73 in the electronic card 7, thereby permitting removal of the electronic card 7 from the card edge connector 6. Therefore, the force applying portions 838 are not and cannot be surrounded by the limiting portions 93.
When the electronic card 7 is inserted into the card edge connector 6, the front end 71 of the electronic card 7 is inserted into the insert groove 82 of the insulating housing 8, the contacts 72 at the front end thereof correspondingly contact the contact ends of the plurality of conductive terminals 84 in the insert groove 82, the electronic card 7 is located between the two support arms 83, and the lugs 834 are respectively disposed in the corresponding recesses 73 at the left and right sides of the electronic card 7.
However, upon removal of the electronic card 7 from the card edge connector 6, a force has to be applied to the force applying portions 838. Since the force applying portions 838 are narrow strips, they may easily break at the lugs 834 of the support arms. Since the other parts of the support arms 83 are surrounded by the support members 9, once the force applying portions 838 break, the user cannot apply a force to the other parts of the support arms 83. Hence, the electronic card 7 cannot be removed from the card edge connector 6. Moreover, during removal of the electronic card 7 from the card edge connector 6, to exert a force on the force applying portion 838, the user""s fingers must be disposed in the space cooperatively defined by the body 81 and the two support arms 83 and located in front of the electronic card 7. In other words, the support arms 83 of the card edge connector 6 must be long enough that there is a sufficient length to permit manipulation by the fingers when the electronic card 7 is disposed in the card edge connector 6. Therefore, the conventional card edge connector 6 occupies a relatively large place, which is against the current trends towards lightness, thinness, shortness and smallness of electronic devices.
One object of the present invention is to provide an edge card that effectively overcomes the drawbacks associated with the easy breaking of the force applying portions of the support arms of the conventional card edge connector.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a card edge connector to prevent breaking of support arms of an insulating housing when interference with a circuit board received therein is being removed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a card edge connector having interference devices that are also points of application of force, that are provided on support arms, and that are integrally formed with the support arms.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a card edge connector having interference devices that are also points of application of force and that are formed from a plastic material.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a card edge connector that has a grounding device for connecting a circuit board received therein to ground.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a card edge connector that has support arms with a shorter length and occupying a less amount of space.
The card edge connector of the present invention is provided with a grounding device on the support arm to connect the circuit board received therein to ground.
Accordingly, the card edge connector of the present invention is electrically connected to a first circuit board, and comprises: an insulating housing having an elongated body, the body having one face formed with an elongated insert groove for insertion of a second circuit board therein, the body being provided with a plurality of slots for receiving terminals, respectively, such that each of the terminals has a contact disposed in the insert groove, and a coupling end projecting outwardly of the insulating housing to electrically connect with the first circuit-board, each of two ends along longer sides of the body having a support arm extending therefrom, adjacent sides of the support arms being respectively provided with lugs, the second circuit board being electrically connected to the contact ends of the terminals and positioned in a first position after being inserted into the insert groove; a pair of support members respectively and detachable secured on the support arms to limit rotation of each of the support arms in an imaginary plane; when the second circuit board is positioned in the first position, each of the lugs generating interference with a depressed portion.
Furthermore, the card edge connector of the present invention may be provided with a grounding elastic plate on at least one of the support arms to connect the circuit board received therein to ground.
Moreover, the top side of each lug may project from the top side of the circuit board to thereby serve as a point of application of force.
Additionally, the lugs may be located at a distal end of the support arm.